If you asked any of my family or co-workers to describe me in a few words, I am sure stubborn would be one of them. And this is something I openly admit. I am very stubborn. When I put my mind to something, I have to complete it, even if it is at my own detriment.
I recently had to take some time off from CrossFit, but last week I was able to get back at it and tackle one of my first workouts. Naturally, I thought I could jump back in right where I left off, lifting the same amount of weight and going at the same intensity.
The workout was long, a total of over 150 power cleans and squat cleans. I could feel that I was tired, my muscles were burning, but of course I am stubborn. I am not one to give up, even when my body is screaming to stop. And trust me, this is not a good thing.
The next day, I was in excruciating pain, unable to straighten my arm, only to find out I had possibly torn my bicep. I have had several injuries recently and they have all been a result of me not acknowledging my limits.
While this scenario focuses on exercise, it also applies to other aspects of life, such as work. Sometimes it is easy to take on a million different tasks, thinking we can handle it all. We want to try and do everything ourselves, but this will most likely end up with increased levels of stress and anxiety.
Quality is more important than quantity. When we bog ourselves down with too many tasks, the quality suffers. And with the added stress we most likely become irritable as well, and no one wants to work with grumpy co-workers.
So the next time you feel overwhelmed, or someone comes to you with a new task, I encourage you to think about your current workload. Evaluate how you are feeling. Are you close to reaching your limit? Are to taking on too much? Can you perhaps delegate some of the smaller tasks? Or do so simply need a break? Sometimes just taking a mental health day to relax is just what the doctor ordered.
